(Chapter 45 A New Dawn)
Across every corner of Teyvat, the skies turned a brilliant golden hue, and the sun blazed with unparalleled intensity, casting a radiant heat that permeated the lands. In Sumeru, the Eremites gazed up in awe and reverence, believing that King Deshret himself had returned to bless the desert with his divine presence. But this was not the revival of their ancient king, this was something far more extraordinary. This was the descent of Ra, the God of the Sun, upon Teyvat.
"Ah, what a way to make an entrance! I sense the winds of change blowing anew in the years to come, it bodes well for her indeed."
In Mondstadt, a well-dressed bard lounged casually on a tree branch, snacking on an apple as he gazed up at the golden skies. His eyes sparkled with a knowing glint, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Rex Lapis..."
"Be at ease, Xiao, he appears to have no plans to bother us at the moment. It seems like he is only here for a visit to Fontaine."
In the high mountains of Liyue, Rex Lapis stood alongside Xiao, both gazing at the golden skies. Rex Lapis recognized the significance of this celestial event, understanding that Ra, the god descending upon Teyvat, was one of the few gods who had lived even longer than himself, and possessed power far greater than his own.
"What nonsense..."
In the grand castle of the Raiden Shogun in Inazuma, she gazed up at the golden skies above, her expression unreadable. After a brief moment of contemplation, she turned away, her interest in the celestial event already waning, and returned to the depths of her castle, dismissing the phenomenon as irrelevant.
"Ah! So pretty!"
A small child stood in awe, watching the golden skies with wide eyes. Meanwhile, deep within the confines of the Sanctuary of Surasthana, Lesser Lord Kusanali, unable to witness the phenomenon with her own eyes, borrowed the child's sight. Through the child's innocent gaze, she marveled at the spectacle unfolding above, her curiosity and longing intertwining as she remained imprisoned in her sanctuary.
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"Ah, I have yearned to return to this oasis for so long..."
Ra's voice resonated through Tempest's body as he spoke, his presence commanding the attention of everyone present. Tempest's Paladin form, towering at over nine feet tall, gleamed resplendently in golden armor that mirrored the light. The crowd's expressions shifted from fear to awe as they beheld the magnificent transformation. Yet, despite the grandeur of Tempest's Paladin form, it was clear that the voice speaking was not Tempest's own.
"Fear not, for I am not here for you. Please, return to your seats and let us proceed with the trial. I have come solely as a witness for my champion."
Ra spoke with a voice that carried both authority and calm assurance. Hesitantly, the crowd began to settle back into their seats, their awe giving way to a tense quiet. Ra then turned his attention to the three people kneeling before him—Merlyn, Penance, and Gardon—his gaze steady and unyielding.
"Rise."
Ra addressed the three of them with an authoritative tone, and they complied without hesitation. Penance promptly summoned a Hydro Golem to assist in carrying her Mother, and Ra regarded this action with indifference, his focus remaining unperturbed.
"I thank you for your unwavering support of my champion. Rest assured, I shall address the remaining matters myself."
Ra reassured them.
"Thank you, Great One, thank you so much..."
Merlyn, with tears streaming down her cheeks, reached out to touch the gleaming armor of Tempest's Paladin form. Her voice trembled with emotion as she spoke.
"My son... He's going to be alright, isn't he? Please tell me he is."
"I assure you, Mother of Tempest, your son is well. I am simply using his form to speak on his behalf."
Ra reassured Merlyn.
"Thank you... Thank you so much..."
Merlyn said wiping her tears away with a smile, she and Penance, then went back to their seat after a short bow.
"Praise the sun."
Gardon said, putting his clenched fist into his chest with a bow he then shortly left to join Merlyn and Penance.
Ra then turned to face Lady Furina, who was seated high above. At his gaze, she flinched visibly, her composure momentarily breaking.
'Why now?! Why now of all times?! Does he know?! Does he know my true identity?! If he does, he could potentially reveal me in this large crowd... What should I do?! Should I flee and escape? Or should I stay and face the consequences?'
Furina thought in a panicked and desperate manner, she was filled with fear and anxiety as she tried to maintain her composure in the face of the possibility of being exposed in the crowd.
"Successor of my beloved, I extend my gratitude for your service and for watching this nation. I will not remain for long, so I ask you to permit me to speak on behalf of my champion."
Ra spoke, his voice resonating with divine authority.
"Hm? Oh, uh, yes, yes! Of course, you can! Go ahead, there's no problem with that."
Furina responded with a hint of surprise in her tone.
'Thank goodness... He doesn't seem to have any clue. I thought I was outed for a moment there. My secret identity is still safe.'
Furina thought to herself with a sense of relief and gratitude, her inner voice conveying her gratitude that her true identity remained undisclosed.
"Thank you, Lady Focalors, now then, before we proceed..."
Ra's gaze then shifted to Pierre, who flinched in horror as he realized that his opponent in the court was none other than the God of the Sun himself.
"I have a question for you, Pierre."
Ra spoke to Pierre in a commanding tone.
"Y-Yes, Great one?"
Pierre stammered, his voice trembling with fear.
"Do you swear, before the two gods present in this room, that your words are nothing but the truth?"
Ra said to him, Pierre hesitated to answer, his lips trembling and sweat pouring down his face.
"Y-Yes, e-everything I said was true, G-Great one."
Pierre answered, and before long, he was engulfed in golden flames. He screamed in terror as he fell from the balcony, but the flames didn't burn him; they merely seared him with an intense heat that left him writhing in agony.
The crowd watched in horror as Pierre was consumed by golden flames, his flesh remaining intact despite the intense heat. The realization struck them all at once, Pierre had been lying all along.
"Lies? In front of the gods?"
Ra spoke with an air of finality, observing Pierre as he writhed on the stage, his screams piercing the silence. The flames continued to envelop him, despite his desperate attempts to extinguish them.
"Please, have mercy on me!"
Pierre begged, his voice trembling with desperation as he writhed in the relentless flames.
Ra simply gazed at him, offering no response to Pierre's desperate pleas.
"I lied! I lied about everything! Please, just make it stop!"
Pierre cried out in anguish, and with his confession, the golden flames finally dissipated.
"So the coup was true..."
"Does that make, Tempest Proudmoore a hero?"
"I take everything that I said."
The crowd erupted into murmurs and gasps at Pierre's confession, their disbelief palpable. Despite the shock and the commotion, the scales remained unmoved, having already provided Neuvillette with its verdict.
"And there you have it. Before I depart, let me make this proclamation. I have witnessed all that Tempest Proudmoore has accomplished, and I assure everyone in this room of his innocence. He carries my blessing, and in the years to come, he shall guide this nation back to its Golden Age."
Ra declared, his voice resonating with authority, he then turned his eyes to Furina.
"Lady Focalors, I hope that you find it in your heart to forgive him. He is the embodiment of loyalty and dedication. Allow him the chance to redeem himself and have him serve this nation."
Ra continued, his tone both commanding and gentle.
Furina opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat. She lowered her head, struggling with her emotions, and in the end, remained silent, unable to voice her thoughts.
'I owe him an apology... I should have at least had a proper conversation with him before just sending him a letter...'
Furina thought to herself with a pang of guilt and regret.
"I thank you all for heeding my words. I wish I could remain longer, but it is not possible. Yet, do not fret. I shall continue to watch over Fontaine through the eyes of my champions. As I have for thousands of years."
Ra spoke, and a brilliant light soon enveloped his entire form. As the radiance faded, Tempest reappeared, still unconscious, lying on the floor of the opera.
"Tempest!"
Gardon got out of his seat and went to check on Tempest's condition, after a short while, he took a breath of relief.
"He's alive!"
Gardon shouted, his voice filled with relief. The entire crowd erupted into applause. Just moments ago, they had been against Tempest, but Ra's divine intervention had cleared his name. Witnessing this miraculous turn of events, the people now saw Tempest's innocence and celebrated his return.
"Neuvillette, drop all charges against Tempest Proudmoore, effective immediately. I will not stand for this injustice. Do it at once."
Furina stood from her seat and commanded with a firm and authoritative voice, her tone brooking no argument as she addressed Neuvillette with unwavering determination.
"With all due respect, Lady Furina, Tempe-"
"Do you not know who I am? I am Focalors, the god of justice. I order you, Neuvillette, to drop all charges against Tempest Proudmoore, this instant. Dismissed."
Furina asserted in a powerful and authoritative voice, and Neuvillette sighed in response.
"Lady Furina, the Oratrice Mecanique D'analyse Cardinale, has stated, Tempest Proudmoore is innocent."
"Huh?"